Caging and centering apparatus for gyroscopes



W. A. STONE Aug. 21, 1951 CAGING AND CENTERING APPARATUS FOR GYROSCOPES Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 ZSnuentor WHY/V1517. 570/75 Gltomeg 5 w. A. STONE 2,564,772

CAGING AND CENTERING APPARATUS FOR GYROSCOPES Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Shee t 2 lnventot WHY/V5 H .9 TONE attorney w. A. STONE 2,564,772 CAGING AND CENTERING APPARATUS FOR GYROSCOPES Filed Jun 28, 1948 I 3 Shegts-Shet 5 Z'mnentor W/IYNE /7. 5701/5 (Ittorneg Patented Aug. 21, 1951 CAGIN G AND CENTERING APPARATUS FOR GYROSCOPES Wayne A. Stone, St. Louis Park, Minn, assignor taMinneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,600

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to gyroscopes and more particularly to a means for caging and centralizing such instruments.

Caging and centralizing means on gyroscopes, particularly directional gyroscopes, are old in the art but these known methods have certain disadvantages, such as coming or the spiralling of the gyroscope as it is moved toward a normal position and severe shock, which introduce undesirable effects and errors into autopilot systems with which these devices are commonly used. This is particularly true when a directional gyroscope, "such as the present embodiment, is used in an aircraft control system and is caged during turning of th aircraft.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means for eliminating the coning efiect of a gyroscope which occurs when the caging means does not in the initial stages of caging destroy gyroscopic rigidity.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a simple and efiective method of caging a gyroscope which does not immediately destroy gyroscopic rigidity and does not introduce severe shock to the gyroscopes associated system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a caging means in which the caging arms have a pin receiving notch therein, such that the gyroscope is moved toward its normal position before gyroscopic rigidity is destroyed.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective means of rapidly caging and centralizing a gyroscopic instrument.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and structural details when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation view of the gyroscope with a portion of the base mounting structure and cover broken away to disclose the caging mechanism of the gyroscope,

Figure 2 is an end elevation view of the gyroscope of Figure l with the gravity sensitive control device and an erection motor removed to facilitate the disclosure of the caging mechanism,

Figure 3 is a vertical section with the gyroscope taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the caging arms engaging the gyroscope in the caged position of the gyroscope,

Figure 4 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the gearing mechanism driving the arms of the caging mechanism of the gyroscope,

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the cagin arms with notches therein shown with the gyroscope pin in a number of positions,

Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9 are schematic circuit diagrams of the circuit controlling the energization of the caging motor, in which, Figure 6 shows a manual control switch in the uncaged position and the motor deenergized, Figure '7 shows the manual control switch in the caged position and the motor energized, Figure 8 shows the manual 2 control switch in the caged position and the motor energized to reduced power when the gyroscope is in the caged position, and Figure 9 shows the manual control switch in the uncaged position and the motor energized as the caging arms are moved to an uncaged position.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown my novel directional gyroscope which is universally mounted and positioned within a housing or base memberlfl. A cover H, partially shown in Figure 1, fits down over the gyroscope and fastens to housing Ill. The gyroscope maybe mounted on any desired surface or object, such as an aircraft, by means of flanges l2 projecting from the housing Hi. It comprises a rotor l3 mounted for rotation in a mounting ring M, which is similarly pivoted for rotation in a Cardan ring IS. The Cardan ring I5 is pivoted at bearing points l6 and ll of housing ill to provide the well-known universal mounting of the gyroscope. Rotor I3 is actuated by any type of spinning means, such as electric motor or air motor, and for simplicity of disclosure herein, the energizing source and connectionsto the rotor spinnin means are omitted here. Mounting ring I4 which pivots rotor I3 for rotation therein and which is similarly pivoted to Cardan rin l5 has a limited angle of rotation provided by stop lug 20. mounted thereon adapted to engage stops 2! on Cardan ring l5. Similarly, Cardan ring l5 has a limited angle of rotation provided by the engagement of arm of projection positioned on housing or base member l8.

energization of the spin axis erection motor 22 of Cardan ring IS with fixed stops 23 positioned on housing l0. Thus, limited displacement is provided for this restricted directional gyroscope about the Vertical and one horizontal axis.

The gyroscope also includes a precession motor 24, the field structure 25 of which is positioned on Cardan ring l5 at the projection or arm 22 thereof. The field structure 25 cooperates with a squirrel cage 26 of precession motor 24 mounted on mounting rin M. Precession'motor 24 may also be known as the slaving motor operating to maintain the spin axis of the rotor along a particular heading. The precession motor usually is used to coordinate the position of the gyroscope with a controlling device such as a magnetic compass and thereby correct errors in azimuth. Its energizing circuit and connections are omitted here for simplicity. The gyroscope further includes a spin axis erection motor omitted in the drawing for simplicity of disclosure, which is adapted to maintain the spin axis of the gyroscope horizontal with respect to gravitational effect. Its squirrel cage rotor section is usuall mounted on Cardan ring l5 and the cooperating field structure is usually The is controlled through the operation of a gravity sensitive control device such as a mercury switch also omitted from the drawings, which is usually mounted on the mounting ring M of the gyroscope or mounted to be operated by displacement of said ring.

As is customar when a directional gyroscope is used in an aircraft control system, the displacement of the gyroscope in a horizontal plane indicating change in heading or direction of the mounting structure in that plane is utilized to provide a proportionate signal to the control system. The present gyroscope is provided with a potentiometer assembly 34, the winding 35 of which is positioned on housing In and the wiper of which is mounted on the Cardan ring l5 as an extension of the Cardan arm or projection 22. Such a potentiometer assembly would be energized from an external circuit and a variable signal obtained from it would similarly be impressed on an external circuit. For this reason connections to the potentiometer assembly are omitted here.

The caging and centering mechanism 31 of the gyroscope includes a pair of caging arms 46, 4| pivoted on a pair of projecting pins 42, 43 which are attached to and form a part of housing I0. Caging arms 46, 4| are adapted to engage pin 44 fixed to and extending from mounting ring |4 concentric with the axis of rotor l3. Operatively connected to and driving caging arms 46, 4| is motor 45 which is mounted on housing I0. Motor 45 in the present embodiment is a permanent magnet field type motor but it should be noted that any type of electric motor or motivating force can be used to perform this operation. Motor 45 includes a shaft 46 and driving gear 41 attached to the extremity thereof which cooperates with a geared drivin plate 50 pivoted approximately near the center of the upstanding portion of housing I on a projecting or center pin fixed thereto. Pin 5| of the housing I0 is simlarly concentric with the extension of axis of rotor l3 in its normal horizontal'position. A portion of the periphery 52 of driving plate 56 is geared so that it cooperates with the gear 41 of motor shaft 46. Driving plate 50 also carriers rollers or cams 53, 54 (best shown in Figure 3) which engage cam followers 55, 56 attached as an integral part to arms 4| and 40 respectively. As drivin plate 50 is pivoted about its mounting or pivot pin 5|, its rollers or cams 53, 54 engage the cam followers 55, 56 of arms 4|, and 40 respectively pivoting said arms above their respective mounting points 42, 43. Cams 53, 54 are so positioned on opposite sides of the center or pivot 5| of plate 56 that as cams 53, 54 move clockwise with driving plate 50, thecam followers 55, 56 and their respective arms move counter-clockwise about their respective pivot points. This movement of caging arms 46, 4| is in the direction of abutting or closed position to effect caging of the gyroscope. The caging arms are, however, at different distances from the upstanding portion of housing I!) for this reason the tips of the said arms overlap but do not contact one another.

Caging arms 40, 4| have springs 51 attached thereto which are anchored at one end to base member In biasing said arms in such a manner that the cam followers 55, 56 are biased into engagement with cams 53, 54 respectively. Projectin from the pivoted extremities of caging arms 40, 4| are stop lugs 60, 6| respectively which lugs engage portions of the upstanding portion of housing H1 in uncaged position to limit movement of the arms.

Driving plate 50 also carries additional cam r angle with surface 82.

surfaces or cams 62, 63 which are positioned to contact the button 64, 65 of limit switches 66, 61, respectively. The limit switches 66, 61 are mounted on the upstanding portion of housing I6. Switch 66 which is contacted by cam surface 62 is a double throw single pole switch such that its normally open contacts 10, 1|, a seen in Figures 6-9, are open when cam surface 62 has not engaged the switch button or toggle 64, that is in the caged position. The normally closed contacts 1|, 12 of switch 66 are not made upon engagement of cam surface 62 with switch button or toggle 64 in the uncaged position. Switch 61 is a normally closed switch with a pair of contacts 13, 14 made in the uncaged position of the gyroscope when cam surface 63 is not in contact with switch button or toggle 65. The cam surfaces 62, 63 are so shaped and positioned on drive plate that they engage and maintain contact with the switch buttons 64, 65 respectively for different periods of time. These switches control the energizing circuits of motor 45 in the manner which will become evident as this disclosure proceeds. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cam surfaces 62, 63 have an adjustment feature so as to vary the period during which each contacts its respective switch to gle.

Caging arms 48, 4| each have symmetrical notches 15, 16 respectively in the unpivoted or free extremity thereof adapted to enga e pin 44 of the gyroscope which is fixed to mounting ring l4. These notches in the arms 48, 4| are each three sided. Notch 15 has one surface 11 or face extending longitudinal of arm 46, a shorter transverse face or surface 86 extending normal to the longitudinal surface 11 and a third face or surface 8| extending oblique to the short normal surface 86 and making an oblique angle with the longitudinal surface 11. Similarly, caging arm 4| has included in notch 16 a longitudinal extending surface 82, a shorter transverse surface 83 extending normal to the longitudinal surface 82, and a third surface 84 extending obliquely to the short normal surface 83 making an oblique The longer longitudinal surfaces 11 and 82 and obliquely position surfaces 8|, 84 of notches 15, 16 respectively are adapted to cause precession of the gyroscope upon engagement with the pin 44 of the yroscope. The shorter normal surfaces 80, 83 of notches 15, 16 respectively are adapted to be engaged by pin 44 of the gyroscope as the gyroscope is precessing away from the force of engagement of the larger precessing surfaces with the pin 44. This engagement of the pin with the shorter normal surfaces 80, 83 causes destruction of the rigidity of the gyroscope as will be later described. Notches 15, 16 or arms 40, 4| are similar such that the respective surfaces are parallel to one another when the arms are in the caged position to form a square opening, as seen in Figure 3, wherein pin 44 is positioned and held as the gyroscope is caged.

The caging and centering mechanism 31 of the gyroscope is energized through the circuits shown in Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9. The energization of these circuits is controlled by a manually (or automatic, if the associated system so provides) operated control switch I02 which has two sets of double pole double throw contacts. Switch H12, omitted in Figures 1-5, is usually mounted on a remotely positioned control panel and has two pairs of stationary contacts I63, I05 and ||l3a and |05a adapted to be contacted by movable contacts I04, |04a respectively. Figure 6 shows a schematic circuit diagram of the controlling circuit of motor 45 wherein the manually operable control switch I02 is an uncaged position such that movablecontact I04 contacts fixed contact I05 and movable contact I04a contacts fixed contact "Mia. The limit switches 66, 61 are schematically shown to correspond to the actual positioning of their respective contact elements caused by the positioning of the cooperating cams as shown in Figure 2. Thus the contacts of limit switch 61 are closed, since it is a normally closed limit switch and cam 63 has not engaged toggle 65. Similarly, limit switch 66 is in its normally operative position with its normally closed contacts open and normally open contacts closed since cam 62 is in contact with toggle or switch button 64. Motor 45 is deenergized since the circuit from L2 which is completed to contacts I04a, I05a and conductor I 06 is not completed through the normally closed contacts I I, I2 of limit switch 60. This circuit discloses the positioning of the manual control switch and the. limit switches when the gyroscope is uncaged and its manually controlled switch I02 is so positioned. Figure 7 shows the manually controlled caging switch I02 moved to a caged position wherein contacts I04, I03 and I04a, I03a are made and limit switch 66 has moved to a normally inoperative position making contacts 'II, 12 and breaking contacts 10, II. This latter switch is not actuated, however, until the plate 50 has moved over a partial extent of its travel toward caged position as will be later noted. With the engagement of contacts of switch I02 an energizing circuit is provided for motor 45 as follows: LI, movable contact I04 to stationary contact I03 of switch I02, conductor I01, stationary contact 13 to movable contact 14 of limit switch 61, conductor I I 0 to the armature of motor 45, conductor III to conductor H2, and stationary contact I03a to movable contact I04a of switch I02, to line L2. Immediately upon en'- gagement of the contacts of switch I02 in the caged position, there will be formed other possible circuits for current flow from LI to L2 which are not effective for the reasons named below. One such possible circuit occurs through conductor I I3 which is connected to load resistor H4 and conductor I01, resistor H4 is in turn being connected to the armature of motor 45 by a conductor II5. energizing motor 45 inasmuch as the connections from conductor I01 through limit switch 61 to conductor I I0 provide a shunt circuit around this load resistor. Another circuit appears possible when the movable contact II of switch 66 has not left the position of contact with fixed contact to make contact with fixed contact 12. A circuit from LI through contacts I04, I03 of switch I02 to conductor I01, and through limit switch 61 to conductor H6, through limit switch 66, through contacts I0, II of limit switch 66 to conductor II1, rectifier I to conductor H2, and through I04a, I03a to L2 is prohibited by virtue of the positioning of rectifier I20 restricting the direct current flow in this direction. Motor 45 energized through the circuit first described drives plate 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and 3 moving caging arms 40, M to a closed position. Operation of the limit switch 66 is not effected immediately upon operation of manual switch I02 and energization of motor 45, but rather occurs near completion of travel of caging arms 40, II. Motor 45 attains suflicient momentum during operation to carry the caging arms to their extreme limits after the operation This path is not efiective in r of the limit switches 66 and 61 reducing or disconnecting the power applied to the motor depending upon which direction the caging arms are moving. Cam surfaces 62 and 63 are so positioned that cam 63 will engage switch toggle 65 shortly after cam 62 disengages switch tog le 64.

Figure 8 shows the energizing circuitof motor 45 when the caging arms 40, 4| are at or near caged position. Manually controlled switch I02 remains in the caged position with contacts I04, I03 and I04a, I 03a closed. As caged position is approached limit switch 61 is opened by the operation of cam 63 engaging toggle 65, the operation of limit switch 66 having occurred at an earlier stage oftravel of plate 50 and remaining unchanged as the caging operation nears completion. Thus the energizing circuit of Figure 7 for motor 45 from LI through contacts I03, I04 of switch I 02, conductor I01, contacts 13-14 of switch 61, conductor IIO, armature of motor 45, conductor III, conductor II 2, contacts I03a to IBM ofswitch I02 to L2 is broken by the movement of switch 61 to operative (open) position. Motor 45 is now energized through a circuit in cluding load resistor I I4 which eilects a reduction of current flow through the motor armature and therefore its power output. The energizing circuit for acaged position is as follows: LI to contacts I04, I03 of switch I02, conductor II3, resistor II4, conductor II5, armature of motor 45, conductor I I I, conductor H2, and contacts I03a, I04a of switch I02 to line 2.

Figure 9 shows the operation of and energization in the caging mechanism as manually controlled switch I02 is moved to theuncaged position establishing contact through contacts I 04, I05 and I04a, I05a. Figure!) further shows the engagement of the contacts of normally closed limit switch 61, but this does not occur until after the plate 50 has been rotated a given distance toward uncaged position, as will be later noted. Motor 45 is energized under this positioning of the manual control switch in the following manner: LI, contacts I04, I05 of switch I02, conductor I2I, contact [03a of switch I02, conductor II2, conductor III, armature of motor 46, conductor IIO, conductor II6, contacts 1|, 12 of switch 66, and conductor I06 through contacts I04a, I05a of switch I02 to L2. Movement of the motor and cam 63 on drive plate 50 is in the opposite direction to that established by engagement of contacts 13, 14 of switch 61 for the caging operation as recited above. It will be seen in this circuit just traced that the direction of current flow through the armature is reversed; thereby reversing the direction of rotation of motor 45. During movement of the caging arms 40, 4I' and the drive plate 50 into the, full uncaged position, the limit switches again resume the position shown in Figure 6 switch 61 being first actuated, as shown in Figure 9, followed by the operation of switch 66 to the operative position. Motor 45 is deenergized by the operation of switch 66 but the momentum of motor is effective to complete the uncaging operation. The operation of switch 61 has no effect on the energizin circuit of motor 45 during the uncaging operation with switch I 02 in the uncaged position. When both of the switches 66 and 61 have operated in the uncaging operation thecircuit of Figure 6 occurs and a dynamic braking cir-' cult is set up through the motor armature and the limit switches in this position to reduce the speed at which the caging arms reach the stops 7 at the uncaged position. This circuit is as follows: Armature of motor 45, conductor III, recsystem is controlling'is operated to change heading. Similarly, a directional gyroscope, when used with a compass, may be caged during the change of direction of heading. As shown in Figure 7, the caging operation for the present gyroscope is initiated by manually operating control switch I02 to the caged position energizing caging motor 45. As caging arms 40, 4I are moved toward this caged position one or the other or both will engage contact pin 44 of mounting ring I4. The gyroscope when operating is energized such that the rotor and its spinning means are rotating at an operating speed and will resist the force applied by the caging arms 40 or 4| thereby stopping movement of the drive plate 50 and caging arms 40, 4| .as well as motor 45. This resistivity to a force applied to the gyroscope is known as gyroscopic rigidity. As force is applied from the caging arms, the gyroscope will precess in a well-known manner in a direction normal to the applied force, which direction is dependent upon the direction of rotation of the rotor I3. In Figures 1, 2, 3, the direction of rotation of the rotor is counterclockwise as viewed from the end of the rotor shaft where pin 44 is located. Pin 44 is contacted by one of the other of the surfaces 11, BI, 82, or 84 of notches or I6 of arms 40 or 4| and the gyroscope and pin will precess in a clockwise direction as viewed from the same point as the rotation of the rotor was described. Such precession will continue as long as one of the arms 40, 4| is engaging pin 44 and until one or the other of the short normal surfaces 80, 83 of notches I5, 16 in arms 40, 4| respectively, described above, is engaged at which time the rigidity of the gyroscope will be destroyed and the caging operation is completed without'the counteracting effect of this force. Because such operation is difficult to visualize from Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be described more fully as applied to the modification of Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows a modification of the gearing for the caging and centering of the gyroscope. In this modification a pair of caging arms 85, 88 have notches I35, I36 respectively which notches are reversed from those of arms 40, 4|. Notch I has a longitudinal surface I31, a shorter transverse surface I38 and an oblique surface I39 which correspond to similar surfaces in the notches of arms 40, 4| of Figures 1, 2 and 3. Similarly notch. I36 has a longitudinal surface I40, a shorter transverse surface HI, and an oblique surface I42. The angles formed between the longitudinal surfaces and the oblique surfaces in the notches of the caging arms for the preferred and modified embodiments of this invention are slightly different but it should be noted that this angle may be varied between 90 and 180 degrees without changing the operation of the caging mechanism; such variation resulting only in a variation of the time required to destroy gyroscopic rigidity should an oblique surface of a caging be first engaged by the caging pin 44.

The caging arms 85, 86 are driven through a circular driving plate 81 which carries pivoted cam followers 95, 96 respectively adapted to engage cam surfaces 93, 94 respectively mounted on the caging arms. Biasing springs indicated at I50 bias the arms such that engagement is maintained between the cams and cam followers. Drive plate 81 has gear teeth 90 along a limited extent of its periphery which teeth engage a ,pinion B9 driven by a gear 92 which in turn meshes with and is driven by a worm gear 9| mounted on the shaft of motor 45. Operation of motor 45 in either direction causes similar rotation of plate 81 but with this arrangement of gearing and connection to plate 81, the motor is effective to drivingly operate arms 85, 81 in the uncaged direction since rotation of plate 81 in the opposite direction or toward caged position merely moves the cam followers 95, 96 away from the earns 93, 94 and it is the force of the spring I50 holding these elements in operative relationship which actually affects the movement of the caging arms in this direction.

The electrical circuit for this modification is the same as that described for the preferred embodiment of Figures 1, 2 and 3 but this modification requires a normally closed circuit switch I09 to correspond with switch 61 and a double pole single throw switch IOI similar to switch 66. A single switch engaging cam 91 is used to engage both of the limit switches I00 and IOI, the former being engaged nearest the caged position and the latter engaged nearest the uncaged position.

The operation of this modification is similar to that of the preferred embodiment and hence that portion of it relating to the electrical circuit and the energization of the motor 45 is omitted here. The effect of engagement of the caging arms with pin 44 at other than the caged position however, is described below with respect to Figure 5. In Figure 5 the direction of rotation of the rotor is clockwise as viewed from the end of the rotor shaft where pin 44 is located. The pin 44 may be contacted by one or the other of the surfaces I31, I39 or I40, I42 of notches I35, I36 in arms 85, 86 of Figure 5, and the gyroscope and the pin will precess in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the plane of the drawing causing pin 44 to move therewith. As noted above, caging arms 85, 86 of Figure 4 are oppositely notched and the oblique faces oppositely sloped from those disclosed in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Should the longitudinal surfaces I31, I40 of arms 85, 86 be contacted by the pin 44, the pin by precession of the gyroscope will be moved along the longitudinal surface toward the center of the notch to engage the shorter normal surface I38, I4I of the notch I35 or I36 in the caging arms. In this position the gyroscopic pin is locked by the surface normal to the direction of precession and the rigidity of the gyroscope is destroyed, that is, the gyroscope no longer resists the applied force and no longer reacts as a high speed rotating body but rather as an inert mass. Similarly if one or the other of the oblique surfaces I39, I42 of notches I35, I35 in caging arms 85, 86 are contacted, pin 44 will move counterclockwise along the surface thereof, that is, will move up or down along said surfaces as seen in Figure 5 away from the respective notches until there is no longer further surface supplying a force to it since it is no longer engaging said 9 surface. It should be remembered that the gyroscope pin through the rigidity of the gyroscope structure is resisting the force applied normal to its direction of movement of the pin along the faces of the notches in the caging arms 85, 86. At the point when pin 44 is no longer in contact with the surfaces of the notches of the caging arms, the arms 85, 88 encountering no force resisting their movement will be driven toward the caging position again and will continue such movement toward caged position until pin 44 is again engaged or contacted by the longitudinal surface of the opposite notch in the caging arms from that notch containing the oblique surface previously engaged. At this instance the gyroscope will again begin to precess in a direction normal to the applied force and counterclockwise along the surface of the longitudinal side of the notch toward the center of the notch and the short normal or transverse surface in the caging arm then engaged. Such precession will continue until the pin moves into engagement with the short normal surface of the notch, at which time gyroscopic rigidity i again destroyed. Once gyroscopic rigidity is destroyed-" the gyroscope no longer resists the applied force of caging arms 85, 85 and consequently arms 85, 86 move pin and gyroscope toward the fully caged position corresponding to the normal horizontal position of the gyroscope rotor or axis of the rotor. Near this position, the limit switches are so contacted, as described above, that motor is energized under reduced power so that a reduced torque is applied to the caging arm maintaining said arms in the caged position and" resisting movement to the gyroscope therefrom.

In uncaging the gyroscope, the manual control switch I02 is moved to the uncaged position and motor 45 is energized at full power to rotate in plete the uncaging operation. Caging arms 85,

85 move outwardly away from engagement of pin 44 and come to rest in the uncaged position beyond the restricted limits of the gyroscope, as described above, such that pin 44- cannot engage arms 85, 88 regardless of gyroscope displacement. At this point, the caging arms reach the position where the, stop lugs engage similar stop receiving portions in the housing I8 and limit switches are so positioned that motor 45 is deenergized.

Changes may be made in the structural details employed in caging mechanism disclosed herein Without departing from the scope of this invention. In this respect the caging motor having a directional field winding may be similarly employed and such change merely requires simplification of the contacts in the manually controlled switch.

In considering this invention, it should be kept in mind that the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope, of a pin projecting therefrom, a pair of caging arms each mounted to be pivoted around the gyroscope and having a notch in the unpivoted extremity whose sides are perpendicular to one another, caging motor means operatively connected to said arms for the opposite direction to that of the caging opermoving the same simultaneously toward the normal horizontal position of said gyroscope to engage said pin, and means controlling said caging motor means, at least one of said arms engaging said pin to cause'precession of said gyroscope from one of said sides of said notch to a side normal to that first engaged such that gyroscopic rigidity is destroyed.

2. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a plurality of caging arms each pivoted at one extremity to said gyroscope casing and having a notch in the unpivoted extremity the sides of which are approximately perpendicular to one another, motor means-operatively connected to said caging arms for simultaneously moving the same to a position approximately tangent to the normal horizontal position of said gyroscope, spring means associated with said caging arms biasing the same against the action of the motor means, and control means for operating said motor means.

3. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a plurality of caging arms each pivoted at one extremity from the casing of said gyroscope and having a notch in the unpivoted extremity with a plurality of sides two sides of which are perpendicular to one another, motor means operatively connected to said caging arms for simultaneously moving the same, and spring means associated with said caging arms for biasing the sameagainst movement of said motor means, one said perpendicular sides of said notches in said caging arms being adapted to destroy rigidity of said gyroscope when engaged by said gyroscope pin.

4. In a directional gyroscope, in combination with a rotor, and spinning means therefor, a universal mounting structure for said rotor, a pin projecting from said universal structure, casing means for supporting said universally mounted rotor, a pair of caging arms each pivoted at one extremity on said casing means and simultaneously actuated bya motor means, said caging arms having notches in the unpivoted extremities which enclose said pin of said universal structure in a caged position of said gyroscope, said notches having a surface therein adapted to engage said pin and destroy rigidity of said gyroscope as said arms are moved to said caged position.

5. In a caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope of a pin projecting therefrom, a pair of caging arms each mounted to be pivoted around said gyroscope and having a notch at the unpivoted extremity whose sides are perpendicular to one another, caging motor means operatively connected to said arms for moving the same simultaneously toward the normal horizontal position of said gyroscope to engage said pin, and means controlling said caging motor means, said notches in saidcaging arms forming a rectangle to encircle said pin in the caged position of said gyroscope.

6. In a caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing, of

pivoted extremity of said arms, and motor means for moving said arms simultaneously to engage said pin, said notches in said arms encircling and caging said pin of said gyroscope in its normaf horizontal position when said arms are positioned by said motor means in a predetermined direction to the extent of their movement and having a surface therein adapted to engage said pin and destroy rigidity of said gyroscope as said arms are moved to said extent of their movement.

'7; In a caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a pair of caging arms each pivoted about different points of said casing and having a notch in the unpivoted extremity of said arms, motor means for moving said arms simultaneously to engage said pin, said notches in said arms encircling and caging said pin of said gyroscope in its normal horizontal position when said arms are positioned by said motor means in a predetermined direction to the extent of their movement, a surface in each of said notches either one of which is adapted to engage said pin and destroy rigidity of said gyroscope as said arms are moved to said extent of movement, spring means for moving said arms in the opposite direction from said pin encircling position, and control means for controlling the operation of said motor means.

8. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a pair of caging arms each pivoted about different points on said casing and having a three faced notch at its unpivoted extremity two faces of which are perpendicular with one another, motor means for moving said arm simultaneously to engage said pin, the perpendicular faces of said notches in saidarms encircling and caging said pin of said gyroscope when said arms are moved to said caged position thereof.

9, In a caging and centralizing device for uni- :versally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing of a pin projected from the gyroscope, a pair of caging arms each pivoted about different points on said casing and having a notch with a plurality -of faces located at the unpivoted extremity of said arms, motor means for moving said arms simultaneously to engage said pin, one of said faces adapted to destroy the rigidity of the gyroscope when contacted by said pin, and the remaining faces of said notch adapted to provide for precessing said gyroscope for centering the same.

10. Ina caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope, of a pin projected therefrom, a pair of caging arms each mounted to be pivoted around the gyroscope and having a notch at the unpivoted extremities thereof, said notches having two extended obliquely related surfaces with ashorter surface normal to one of the obliquely related surfaces positioned therebetween, caging motor means operatively connected to said arms for moving the same simultaneously toward the normal horizontal position of the gyroscope to engage said pin, said obliquely related surfaces of said notch when engaged by said pin causing precession of said gyroscope, said shorter surface of said notch in said caging arms when engaged 'by said pin causing destruction of said gyroscopic rigidity of said gyroscope, and means controlling said caging motor means.

11. In a caging and centralizing device for a universally mounted gyroscope, the combination with the gyroscope of a pin projecting therefrom; a pair of caging arms each mounted to be pivoted around the gyroscope and having surfaces thereon perpendicular to one another, caging motor means operatively connected to said arms for moving the same simultaneously toward a normal horizontal position of said gyroscope to engage said pin, and means controlilng said caging motor means, at least one of said arms engaging said pin to cause precession of said gyroscope from one of said surfaces on said arms to the surface normal to that first engaged such that gyroscopic rigidity is destroyed.

12. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and a mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a plurality of caging arms each pivoted at one extremity from the casing of said gyroscope and having a plurality of surfaces thereon two surfaces of which are perpendicular to one another, motor means operatively connected to said caging arms for simultaneously moving the same, and spring means associated with said caging arms for biasing the same against movement of said motor means, one of said perpendicular surfaces of said caging arms being adapted to destroy the rigidity of the gyroscope when engaged by said gyroscope.

13. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing, of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a pair of caging arms each pivoted at different points on said casing and having three surfaces at its unpivoted extremity two of which are perpendicular to one another, motor means for moving said arms simultaneously to engage said pin, said perpendicular surfaces of said arms adapted to encircle and cage said pin of said gyroscope when said arms have moved to caged position.

14. In a caging and centralizing device for universally mounted gyroscopes, the combination with the gyroscope and its mounting casing of a pin projecting from the gyroscope, a pair of caging arms each pivoted about different points on said casing and having a plurality of surfaces located at the unpivoted extremity of said arms, motor means moving said arms simultaneously to engage said pin, one of said surfaces adapted to destroy rigidity of the gyroscope when contacted by said pin, the remaining surfaces of said arms adapted to provide for precession of said gyroscope for centering the same.

WAYNE A. STONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,451,928 Tanner April 17, 1923 1,918,082 Carlson July 11, 1933 2,280,116 Carlson April 21, 1942 2,393,124 Smith Jan. 15, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 562,688 Great Britain July 12, 1944 

